


A Two Kick Night

by omarandjohnny



Series: Sleep Walk [1]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Freckles, Frustration, Gen, M/M, the kicking malarkey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-15
Updated: 2016-07-15
Packaged: 2018-07-24 04:29:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7493850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omarandjohnny/pseuds/omarandjohnny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set a few weeks before the shower invasion that sets Aaron's 'moving out' idea in motion. This is definitely about their lack of sleeping space, has nothing to do with Robert Sugden and his many unresolved, unspoken issues. </p>
<p>Nothing whatsoever. </p>
<p>Right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Two Kick Night

The bed's too small. 

He doesn't mind losing sleep, he'll steal it back when he can. A kip while Adam's out on a run. An hour of quiet while Robert pisses off down the Woolly for his dinner. Nah, it's not a problem. The yo-yo of this summer's weather has had them constantly alternating layers of bedclothes. Tonight's a fitted sheet only. Hot, but bearable. So, also not the problem.

The problem is the bed. It's definitely too small. 

He could sit up and watch Robert for hours. He's doing it now. Shifting the blackout curtain to cast a bit of moonlight over messy blonde hair. Settling back in bed, but still sat up. Ghosting his fingers over the length of Robert's body, far as he can reach. Mapping out constellations of freckles over the wide expanse of Rob's shoulders. Resisting the urge to join the dots, biro on the bedside table. 

Keeping watch. Passing time.

He's waiting for the kick. 

It's not happened yet, but he can sense it coming. When Robert's deep enough, lost enough in that tangle inside his head, he'll kick out. He'd shown Rob a bruise or two, saw the guilt cloud his eyes. Tried to make light of it, said the marks would match up well with his purple hoodie. The clouds had remained. 

Rob insisted on being the little spoon from then on. Every time he sleeps over now, they face the wall. 

And, there it is. 

A single sharp kick. 

Too sharp. 

He knows Robert's toes are really going to smart come morning. He hopes the knock against the wall didn't wake up the whole house. Well, no footsteps shuffling towards the door. _Good_. He wants to reach out, calm whatever's going on in that daft head. Be the big spoon. He knows Robert worries about him during the day. Who worries about Robert during the night? No one else sees this. 

_Did Chrissie sit up and watch this?_

_Can't think about that. That's done._

The bed's too fucking small. 

He watches Robert drift back down, leg no longer tensed to strike. He leans over to catch a glimpse of Robert's face, checking for the furrowed brow. _Nope. Good._

Oh, it'll still happen again, though. This feels like a two kick night. 

Best he stay up, keep counting the stars on Robert's back. 

When'd he get so soft? _Stars._

**Author's Note:**

> Took a few liberties with 'the kicking malarkey.' From what we know canon-wise, Robert does kick in his sleep, but doesn't seem to do it enough to warrant a periodic limb movement disorder diagnosis. So, in this 'verse, the kick(s) are a manifestation of the whole magazine rack of issues he's not had the opportunity to address. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> \- Johnny.
> 
> omarandjohnny.tumblr.com


End file.
